This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
367
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[38623]
No. 1.
[November 17.]
SECTION 5,
C. O.
45640
(No. 398.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received November 17.)
Peking, October 4, 1906,
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you, herewith, copy of an interesting Report by Mr. G. A. Combe, containing an account of a trip on the West River, taken by him in August last on His Majesty's ship "Moorhen."
I would draw special attention to his opinion in regard to a rumoured French railway line from Nanning, and to his remarks about piracy.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Notes of a Trip by Mr. G. Combe on the West River on board His Majesty's Ship "Moorhen," August 1906.
1. Low Water on West River in 1906.
THE original object of this trip was to ascend the West River to Pose Ting, the head of navigation near the Yunnan frontier. Last year, this feat had been successfully performed by a French gun-boat, the "Vigilante," which is believed to have reached Lungchow at the end of July and Pose at the beginning of August, when the condition of the river was unusually favourable. This year, unfortunately, except during the abnormal floods in the spring, the river remained low, and foreign gun-boats failed to reach even Nanning. In June, the "Vigilante," attempting to ascend the North (as it is locally known) or Liu River, went aground near Wusuan. In the latter part of July a German gun-boat, for the first time, the "Tsingtao," endeavoured to reach Nanning, but found it impossible to pass the Great Rapid, thirty miles above Kuei Hsien. His Majesty's ship "Moorhen," after being detained at Wuchow early in July by low water, was afterwards recalled to Samshui, and did not start finally for Nanning until the 8th August. As the river was then rising rapidly, it was considered advisable to make as much speed as possible to Nanning and leave the visiting of local officials until the return journey. On reaching Kuei Hsien, 160 miles above Wuchow, we found that the state of the river would not allow us to proceed farther; the water here had been banked up by a sudden rise of the Liu River, but the Great Rapid above Kuei Hsien had not been affected and was still impassable. We waited a few days at Kuei Hsien, when the river began to fall as rapidly as it had risen, and the "Moorhen" was obliged to return to Wuchow without loss of time. Our trip, therefore, like those of the French and German gunboats this year, was unsuccessful, and only a brief report of it is necessary.
2. The River Valley.
The 160 miles between Wuchow and Kuei Hsien may be divided into three sections, (1) from Wuchow to Pakma, 57 miles, (2) Pakma to Hsunchow-fu, 46 miles, and (3) Hsunchow to Kuei Hsien, about 57 miles.
1. Wuchow to Pakma.-The country consists of great irregular masses of hills, among which the narrow river valley winds down from Pakma. The hill-sides are fairly well clothed with pines, though no doubt the cutting of the timber has been allowed to go on much too freely, especially in the neighbourhood of Pakma. Occasionally the valley widens out a little and patches of mulberry and paddy are seen, but these signs of human habitation are not very frequent. The country for the most part seems bare of population. The mouth of the Têng River at Teng Hsien is the only spot which presents a semblance of busy activity on a small scale.
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Page 368
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Page 368
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
367
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[38623]
No. 1.
[November 17.]
SECTION 5,
C. O.
45640
(No. 398.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received November 17.)
Peking, October 4, 1906,
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you, herewith, copy of an interesting Report by Mr. G. A. Combe, containing an account of a trip on the West River, taken by him in August last on His Majesty's ship "Moorhen."
I would draw special attention to his opinion in regard to a rumoured French railway line from Nanning, and to his remarks about piracy.
+
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Notes of a Trip by Mr. G. Combe on the West River on board His Majesty's Ship "Moorhen," August 1906.
<<
1. Low Water on West River in 1906.
His
THE original object of this trip was to ascend the West River to Pose Ting, the head of navigation near the Yunnan frontier. Last year, this feat had been successfully performed by a French gun-boat, the "Vigilante," which is believed to have reached Lungchow at the end of July and Pose at the beginning of August, when the condition of the river was unusually favourable. This year, unfortunately, except during the abnormal floods in the spring, the river remained low, and foreign gun-boats failed to reach even Nanning. In June, the "Vigilante," attempting to ascend the North (as it is locally known) or Liu River, went aground near Wusuan. In the latter part of July a German gun-boat, for the first time, the Tsingtao," endeavoured to reach Nanning, but found it impossible to pass the Great Rapid, thirty miles above Kuei Hsien. Majesty's ship Moorhen," after being detained at Wuchow early in July by low water, was afterwards recalled to Samshui, and did not start finally for Nanning until the 8th August. As the river was then rising rapidly, it was considered advisable to make as much speed as possible to Nanning and leave the visiting of local officials until the return journey. On reaching Kuei Hsien, 160 miles above Wuchow, we found that the state of the river would not allow us to proceed farther; the water here had been banked up by a sudden rise of the Liu River, but the Great Rapid above Kuei Hsien had not been affected and was still impassable. We waited a few days at Kuei Hsien, when the river began to fall as rapidly as it had risen, and the "Moorhen" was obliged to return to Wuchow without loss of time. Our trip, therefore, like those of the French and German gunboats this year, was unsuccessful, and only a brief report of it is necessary.
2. The River Valley.
The 160 miles between Wuchow and Kuci Hsien may be divided into three sections, (1) from Wuchow to Pakma, 57 miles, (2) Pakma to Hsunchow-fu, 46 miles, and (3) Hsunchow to Kuei Hsien, about 57 miles.
1. Wuchow to Pakma.-The country consists of great irregular masses of hills, among which the narrow river valley winds down from Pakma. The hill-sides are fairly well clothed with pines, though no doubt the cutting of the timber has been allowed to go on much too freely, especially in the neighbourhood of Pakma. Occasionally the valley widens out a little and patches of mulberry and paddy are seen, but these signs of human habitation are not very frequent. The country for the most part seems hare of population. The mouth of the Têng River at Teng Hsien is the only spot which presents a semblance of busy activity on a small scale.
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